


*How to Use a Portal*

by AbigailMeghan



Series: Storybook Island [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Cousins, Family, Family Secrets, Portals, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:27:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26017258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbigailMeghan/pseuds/AbigailMeghan
Summary: Abby and Meghan take their first trip
Series: Storybook Island [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888324
Kudos: 3





	*How to Use a Portal*

**Author's Note:**

> Abby's POV

We stumbled out of the portal and collapsed onto the ground. I groaned and sat up. There was a pool of water beside us that rippled and glowed like the portal we had passed through. Is that where we came out of?

"Meghan?" 

She rolled over and pushed herself up, groaning. She had a cut on her knee from where she hit the ground. "What just happened?"

"I believe we were just transported into the book I put in the slot." 

"And what book would that be?" 

"A history textbook." 

She raised an eyebrow, glaring at me. "So we could be anywhere in time?" 

"Well, technically, I think it was only about the 19th century, so we're just somewhere around that time." I tried, hoping she'd see the glass as half-full. 

She didn't. "Oh. So we're only somewhere within a century. Right." 

"My guess is that we're at the start of the century. The portal probably took us to the start of the book. That makes sense, right? So it's probably 1800." 

"Was it United States history?" Meghan asked, standing. 

I copied her, brushing the dirt off my leggings. "I think it was World History." 

"So we could be anywhere on the entire planet." 

I shrugged. "Probably. I don't know where the first chapter took place. But I don't think we're in Asia. It's too cold to be Asia." 

"Unless we're in northern Asia," she reminded me, looking around. "We could be somewhere up there." 

"Well, I don't think we're in South America, Australia, Africa, or Antarctica, either. The climate doesn't seem right." 

"Oh good, only three possible CONTINENTS we could be on. That sure narrows it down. Let's just look around and see if we can figure it out, okay? If we find civilization, maybe we'll recognize the language. Fingers crossed it's English." She started walking off, but I grabbed her arm.

She turned back around, sighing. "What?" 

"It doesn't matter where we are. Let's go back and put in another book- somewhere we actually want to go. We know how the portal works now." 

Meghan looked off through the trees but nodded. "Okay. How do we go back?" 

I pointed at the puddle, shimmering in the same way the gap between the tree limbs did. "You want to go first?" 

"No. You put the book in. You go through the sketchy portal first." 

I rolled my eyes, but she had a fair point. Carefully, I moved back to the portal and dipped a toe in, expecting it to hit the ground underneath the watery substance, but my foot just kept sinking. 

Proven wrong, I drew my leg back and took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing." 

And I jumped. 

I rolled out onto the ground in the cave. The portal glittered behind me, the book still in the slot. A few seconds later, Meghan tumbled through and grabbed her elbow, which she bruised falling through. She just couldn't catch a break. 

I made my way over to the book and pulled it out. The portal flickered and went dark. "I guess as long as the book is in it, it stays open." 

Flipping to the first chapter, I read aloud, "'France, 1800. Napoleon had just become First Consul.' We would have been fine, I can sort of speak French. I mean, not as good as a native, but I'm learning."

Meghan glanced at her phone, eyes wide. "No time passed. I swear we were there for at least five minutes, minimum. Maybe the portal ejects you right after you go through." 

I looked down at the cut on her knee, humming to myself. "If we get hurt, looks like we retain the injury when we come back to real life." 

She sighed. "Let me guess- if we die over in a book world, we die for real?" 

"Probably." 

My cousin frowned. "That's just great. What if our presence changes the story?" 

I opened up the book and scanned the first few pages, gasping. "It mentions us now!" 

"But does it in other copies of the book? Because these are special ones." 

"I doubt it. But that is so cool! It's like having a story written about us!" 

"It's like living fanfiction." 

Eagerly, I went over to the chest, putting the book back in and smiling before turning to Meghan with mischievous eyes. "So? Where to next?" 

"What do you mean 'next'? We should get out of here. This isn't normal. We need to tell Uncle Charlie." 

"What?" I cried. "No! What if he doesn't let us come back?" 

"Then he's probably right. What if we went somewhere and we got hurt? Or died?" 

I gestured helplessly, conveying my continued resistance. 

"You don't see a problem with that?" She challenged. 

"We'll be careful. Come on, you owe me one," I begged. 

She furrowed her brow. "From what?" 

I was quiet. "I don't know but you probably do owe me for something. Just... please? This can be our thing! We can go to awesome places all the time and explore! We live such boring lives, Meghan. But this? This is something special!"

She regarded me carefully, studying the hope in my eyes and the neediness on my face. Loudly, she sighed. "Fine." 

"You won't regret this!" 

"I doubt that."


End file.
